My fair Lady, the concluding scene between Columbo and his pals reveals the truth of the matter. But you already knew that!

Would I have asked if I knew..?
Maybe my question is stupid, but I dont care.

What he is saying to his friend in the rastaurant doesn`t have to be true, he could be hiding his feelings.
But I really hope that he think she is horrible. Because she is, going after a married man like that.

I like the scene where Columbo is staring ruefully at himself in the mirror, wiping lipstick off himself, not at all sure that he likes what he sees -- a very untypical situation for Columbo, who is usually so comfortable with himself.

You can read it that Columbo is disgusted by allowing himself to begin falling for this woman -- or, just that he feels dirty for prostituting himself, by pretending to romance her when it's really just "all in the game" (or is it?).

Without that ambiguity, the story wouln't be nearly as interesting. I think we are meant to ask ourselves the question that the dear Lady has asked, and that the script writer (Peter Falk) will let us draw our own conclusions.

Personally, I think he was tempted for real, but that for Columbo, the call of duty and his love the The Missus made the ending inevitable -- but still painful for him.

That explanation made me smile Ted. But your words usually do.

No, no, no! Not for one moment during the entire investigation did Columbo have any feelings whatsoever for Lauren Staton. In the wrap up, Columbo's only regret is that he decided he had to deceive Lauren or allow her to "believe" that he, Columbo was falling for her. He mislead her. The same way he always mislead his suspects - one way or another. Columbo did what he had to do to get his (wo)man!

Columbo's proven love for his wife, demonstrated in the previous 50 or so episodes prior to this, was much too strong for him to allow himself to be taken by this femme fatale. This was a woman whom he suspected from the onset of his investigation to be the murderer. Columbo could never, NeVeR, NEVER fall for a murderer!

But I understand your opinions. Honest I do!

Oh, and Lady... You're question wasn't stupid by any means. I thought you did know, based on the title you gave to your post - "He does not love Faye Dunaway!" See? You were right!

i truly believe that columbo didnt like what he had to do but this shows that he could definitely be an extremely manipulative and deceptive character when he needs to be...unusual for him in the matter of love and i never thought hed stoop down to it...but there you go!!!

Ditto what Headache said. If Columbo ever meant it, my whole world would collapse!

I do think that Columbo has a bit of the old-fashioned knight in shining armor in him, and he may have had particularly strong feelings about a case in which he becomes increasingly convinced that the murdered man was a user and abuser of women. Having to act the role he did, deceiving Ms. Staten, probably caused some complicated feelings for him

"...my whole world would collapse!"

You crack me up laura!!!

Cassa, I know you have a hopeless attraction to bad boy conductors... but I have a soft spot for the family man.